Chairman and Managing Director of Southern Power Distribution Company of Telangana Ltd (TSSPDCL – Southern Discom) G. Raghuma Reddy has told the engineers and employees of the organisation to behave properly with the consumers who approach them for any service or redressal of grievance as the utility was depending on consumers and not vice versa.
Speaking at a Consumer Day meeting organised here on Wednesday on the occasion of establishment day of the Telangana State Electricity Regulatory Commission (TSERC), Mr. Reddy said the Discom was introducing new and easy methods to avail services from time to time. Consumers could apply online through website or app for new connections, name change, billing discrepancies and others.
As part of strengthening the distribution network in the Southern Discom areas they had spent ₹11,855 crore with the help of the State Government since formation of the State in June 2014. Stating that the energy demand was also increasing constantly in the Discom areas since formation of the State, he said it had reached a peak (power) load of 8,474 megawatt from 4,989 mw in 2014.
Similarly, the consumption of energy had gone up from a maximum of 101.72 million units to 180.51 mu, he explained. Electricity Ombudsman Nagaraju said consumers could complain with the Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum in case there were any discrepancies in supply and billing. They could also approach the Ombudsman if the problem was not resolved at CGRF level, he said adding that section officers’ role was key in the electricity department and told them to follow citizen charter properly.
A few consumers also spoke on the occasion expressing their satisfaction over the quality of services. Directors of Southern Discom K. Ramulu and S. Swamy Reddy, senior engineers of the Discom Narasimha Swamy, Brahmam, Ravi Kumar, Khaja Abdul Rahman, Chandrasekhar and others also spoke at the event.